Shimla mirch masala - Bell pepper curry

Shimla mirch masala - South Indian style.
This is an easy one. Takes little time and very few ingredients    
to make.

The following recipe serves 2 people.                               
Preparation time : 10 minutes

Cooking time : 20 minutes

Ingredients: 
Bell peppers(Capsicum) - 3
Onion -1 medium sized
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 10-12 leaves
Shredded coconut - 1 Tbsp
Coriander powder - 3 Tsp
Dried red chilies - 2
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Ginger powder - 1.5 tsp
Garlic powder - 1 tsp

Step 1: Chop the bell peppers into bite size pieces. I have used 3 medium sized bell peppers of different colors. You can use only the green ones or any color you like.

Step 2: Chop the onions finely.

Step 3: We need the following spices.

Step 4: Take 1/2 tbsp oil in a pan on medium heat. Add a few cumin seeds to check the heat. If the seeds splutter withing 3-4 seconds then your temperature is right. Add the rest of cumin and mustard seeds. Fry for 45 seconds.

Step 5: Add the dried red chilies and the curry leaves. Fry for 30 seconds.

Step 6: Add the onions and salt and fry for 3-4 more minutes.

Step 7: Add the ginger paste, garlic paste and turmeric powder.Cook for 3-4 more minutes

Step 8: Add the bell peppers. Coat well with the mixture. Fry for a minute and the cover the pan and let it cook for 5 minutes.

Step 9: Now add the coriander powder and shredded coconut.

Step 10: Put the lid on again and cook for another 10-15 minutes till the peppers are cooked.

Step 11: Enjoy your "Shimla mirch masala".

Khichuri - Bengali khichadi

Reminds me of durga puja feasts! Loved by Bengalis Khichuri is an essential part of any Bengali religious festival. Khichuri can be made in various versions - with or without vegetables, with or without meat or with both.The lentils used can also be of different kinds. You can use Moong daal, masoor daal or chana daal.
Here I am making a very simple version of Khichuri using potatoes and red lentils.

Ingredients: 
Rice - 250 ml
Red split lentils (masoor daal) - 250 ml
Potatoes -2 
Ginger paste - 1tablespoon
Green chili - 1
Oil - 2 tablespoons
Salt - to taste
Sugar - 1 teaspoon
Spices set 1- Whole garam masala
Cinnamon - 1 3 inch stick
Cardamom - 4
Black cardamom - 1
Bay leaf - 1 
Cloves - 4
Spices set 2
Cumin powder - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 2 tsp
Chili powder - To taste
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp


Step 1: Mix the daal and the rice and soak them in water for an hour. After that drain the water and keep them aside.

                                               

Step 2: Cut the potatoes into small cubes. Chop the green chili.

Step 3: Heat oil in a pan. Add the spices in set 1. Turn the heat to medium. Fry the spices for a minute.

Step 4: Add the potatoes and fry for 4-5 minutes.Then take them out. 

Step 5: Now in a separate bowl , add  the spices in set 2 and two tablespoons of water. Mix well. 

Step 6: Add this mixture to the oil.Also add the chopped chili and the ginger paste. Cook for a few minutes , till the oil separates from the mixture.

Step 7: Now add the daal and rice from step 1. Coat it thoroughly with the mixture. Keep frying for 3-4 minutes. 

Then add the potatoes. 

Step 8: Cook for a further 3 minutes. 


Step 9: Add 600 ml of water. (The water can be added depending on your preferred consistency for khichuri, I like the traditional watery khichuri). Add salt to taste. Add 1 tsp of sugar.

Step 10: Close the lid and cook till the rice and daal are cooked. 


Step 11: Enjoy your "Khicuhri".

Chicken tikka masala

The following recipe serves 4 people.                               
Preparation time : 2.5 hours

Cooking time : 40 minutes

Ingredients

For the Tikkas

Boneless chicken pieces - 600 grams

Plain yogurt - 250 ml

Lemon juice - 2 tsp
Green capsicum chopped - 1/2

Oil - 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Chili Powder - to taste

Ginger paste - 2 tsp

Garlic paste - 2 tsp

Salt - to taste

For the gravy

Oil - 2 tbsp
Cinnamon sticks - 2
Cardamom - 3
Black cardamom - 1
Cloves - 3
Bay leaves - 1 

Tomatoes - 4
Onion - 1 large

Green chili - 1

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Ginger paste - 2 tsp

Garlic paste - 2 tsp

Cashews - 8-10

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Chili powder - to taste

Cumin powder - 2 tsp

Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp

salt - to taste

Part 1: Preparing the chicken tikkas

Step 1: Take the yogurt in a big bowl. Add the lemon juice. 
Step 2: We need the following masalas : Turmeric, Chili, ginger paste, garlic paste and salt.

Mix the masalas with the curd. Add the oil. 

Mix it all well into a paste. 

Step 3: Add the chicken pieces and the capsicum pieces.

Step 4: Keep it aside for at least 2 hours. Preferably 6-8 hours.


Step 5: Put the chicken in skewers for grilling.

Step 6: While grilling, turn the chicken every 5 minutes to grill all sides evenly.
If you don't want to use an oven for grilling, you can use a pan. Keep cooking the chicken on medium heat turning them every few minutes. Cook them till the pieces are thoroughly cooked and a little burnt on the surfaces.


Step 7: After grilling take them out of the skewers and keep them aside.

Part 2: Preparing the gravy


Step 8: Now we need the whole garam masala  which is basically a combination of cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf and cardamoms. 

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan on medium heat. Add the cinnamon sticks, cardamoms, bay leaf and the cloves. Add the cumin seeds. Fry for two minutes.

Step 9: Chop the onion and the tomatoes. We will also need cashews at this stage.

Add the chopped onions. Fry them for 5-6 minutes until they turn translucent.

Step 10: Now we need the second set of masalas: coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, turmeric masala, chili powder, ginger paste, garlic paste and green chili.

Add the masalas to the pan and add a tbsp of water and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the cashews.

Step 11: Add the tomatoes and mix well. Add a tablespoon of water. Cover the pan and let it cook on medium low heat for 20 minutes.

Step 12: After 20 minutes it will look like this. 

Step 13: Wait for the mixture to cool and the blend it in a blender. Put the mixture back in the pan on medium heat.Add the salt.

tep 14: Add the chicken tikkas. Wait for the mixture to come to a boil. 

Then cover the pan on low heat for 5 further minutes. 


Step 15: Enjoy your chicken tikka masala.

Tomato Rice

One of my favorite south Indian recipes.


The following recipe serves 4 people.
Time required: 30-40 minutes


Ingredients: 
Cooked rice - 4 cups
Tomatoes - 3 medium sized
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Onion - 1/2 of medium sized
Oil - 3 tbsp
Urad daal (black lentils) - 1.5 tsp
Chana daal (yellow lentils) - 2 tsp
Green chili - 1
Dried red chilies - 3
Asafoetida - 2 piches
Cloves -2
Cumin seeds - 1.5 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Cashews - 7-8
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Garam masala - 1 tsp


Step 1: Soak the chana daal in water for 15-20 minutes. Drain the water. 


Step 2: Heat 3 tbsp of oil in a pan on  medium. 
We need the following spices: Dry red chillies, cloves, turmeric, chili powder, asafoetida, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad daal, chana daal and cashews.

Add a couple of cumin seeds and wait for them to crackle.Then add the rest of the cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Add the dried red chilies.

Step 3: Add the asafoetida and chana daal. Add the cashews.Fry for 2-3 minutes.The cashews and the chana daal will go brownish.

Step 4: Add Urad daal, turmeric, red chili powder and cloves.The mixture might get a little frothy due to the turmeric.

Step 5: Add onion, chili and ginger paste. Add the garam masala. Mix well and fry till the onions become translucent.

Step 6:  Add the tomatoes. Mix well.

  Step 7: Cook the tomatoes for 10-12 minutes. Keep mashing the tomatoes with the spatula every few minutes.After 10-12 minutes the mixture will be almost paste like. Now add salt to taste.

After 8 minutes

After 12 minutes

Step 8: Add the cooked the rice. Mix well. Cook for 5 more minutes on medium heat.

Step 9: Enjoy Tomato rice.